Colin Braun Prepares The No. 54 Monster Energy Camry For Kyle Busch Motorsports At Road America
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 19, 2012) – This weekend will be a busy one for former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch, who will perform double duty from two different road courses. Busch will make his seventh NASCAR Nationwide Series start for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the seat of his brother’s No. 54 Monster Energy Camry on Saturday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Busch will then travel to Sonoma, California for Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series event where he is the defending race winner.
Texas native Colin Braun, whose NASCAR Nationwide Series career consists of 31 races, two poles, three laps led, one top-five and six top-10 finishes, will prepare the car during practice sessions before Busch’s arrival. Braun has two road course events under his belt including a 2008 pole position at Mexico City where he led for two laps, and a 2010 top-15 finish at this week’s Road America course.
Logistics are specific for the dual driver plan, however, it isn’t anything new to crew chief Mike Beam, who conducted the same process in 2011 with a previous driver. Beam took the No. 54 Monster Energy team, with Busch and Braun, to a recent test session at Road Atlanta. A plan was specifically made for Braun to use during race practice while Busch has studied film on the Wisconsin four-mile course. The team feels prepared and looks to make Busch’s extensive travel plans worthwhile in bringing home the first road course victory for the company.
Kurt Busch, driver of the No.54 NASCAR Nationwide Series Monster Energy Camry:
How will you prepare for the travel associated with racing at two different road courses in the same weekend?
“I think we’ve already prepared as well as we can thinking ahead about the logistics involved, making sure there will be limited conflicts with both schedules, and working out a game plan for Colin (Braun) to practice the car. I know how Mike (Beam, crew chief) is going to set it up and he’ll keep me informed.”
Mike Beam, crew chief of the No. 54 NASCAR Nationwide Series Monster Energy Camry:
How difficult will it be preparing the car for this race considering Kurt’s Sonoma schedule?
“This weekend will be a logistical challenge with Kurt flying in on race morning from Sonoma. Luckily I had to deal with this in the past so we just have to focus on not making any mistakes. Having Colin (Braun) drive the car in practice will be very helpful. He’s a smart driver and a fine young man.
We had a great test at Road Atlanta with Kurt and Colin so now I have to stick with our practice plan and be prepared for Kurt to come in Saturday morning. He has studied the breakdown of last year’s race and qualifying and will be debriefed on our practice information with balance of chassis and balance of brakes from Friday.”